Gemotions

The newspaper clipping, tucked away in a drawer, felt like a venomous snake in her hand. The grainy photo of the house, surrounded by flashing lights. The headline: *Local Woman Found Dead*. She’d purchased the house on a whim, after the divorce. Now, she felt a profound sense of betrayal.

She found herself pacing the living room, her movements jerky and erratic. The gentle curve of the sofa, the light filtering through the window, no longer seemed comforting. She wanted to scream.

She crumpled the clipping in her fist, the paper tearing. The feeling in her gut wasn’t fear, not exactly. It was something darker, a smoldering resentment that threatened to erupt.